Mail-box.



No. 821,440. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. 0. F. SMITH.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1. 55

E2 2 s: 2a Fi l i E5 E 3/ ig ,5 if \JI Witweoom No. 821,440. PATENTEDMAY 22, 1906.

0. F. SMITH.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.19,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Witnesses ORREN F. SMITH, OF AMES, IOWA.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed September 19, 1905. Serial No. 279,109.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORREN F. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ames, in the county of Story, State of Iowa, have in ventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mail-boxes.

One object is to provide an exceedingly simple, inexpensive, durable,and efficient mail-box particularly adapted for use in the ruraldistricts.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a mail-boxembodying such characteristics that the same may be operated by thewheel of a vehicle.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may bemade within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, thedotted lines illustrating the position of the parts when the door isopen. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the door of the box.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character 1 designates a post mounted in the ground andprovided at its upper end with an arm 2, having a cross-piece 3 at itsouter end.

The reference character 4 designates the mail-box, which is providedwith oppositelydisposed feet 5, through which latter and the aforesaidcross-piece 3 suitable fastenings are passed for securing the box to thecross piece. The front of the box 4 is provided with an opening 6,adjacent to which opening is arranged the lid 7 of the box, the lidbeing hingedly connected to the box at its lower edge and adapted tofall by gravity from over the said opening 6. It will be observed thatthe lid or door 7 is provided with side wings 8 and 9, which overlap thecorresponding sides of the box 4 when the door is in its closedposition, thereby protecting the contents of the box from the weather.The upper edge of the door 7 is provided with a flange 10, adapted tooverlap the top of the box 4 for the same purpose as the wings 8 and 9overlap the sides of the box. The upper edge of the door 7 is alsoprovided with an upwardly-directed lug 11 for cooperation with thehooked end 12 of the lever 13, which latter is pivoted at 14 upon theshort post 15, formed or secured upon the top of the box 4. It will beobserved that the lever 13 is curved and that its hooked end 12 isconsiderably heavier than the opposite end thereof, so that the hook 12will always be in position to engage the lug 11 of the door 7 when thelatter is closed. A signal-supporting rod 16 is pivotally mounted at itslower end upon the wing 9 of the door 7 and is held in ts uprightposition by reasonof its engagement with a lug 17, formed upon the wing9 of the door. When the door 7 is thrown from over the opening of thebox 4, this lug 1.7 causes a swinging movement of the supporting-rod 16accordingly. upper end of the supporting-rod 16 remains hanging from thewing 9 when the door 7 is closed until the postman arrives and placesmail in the box or between the clip 19 and the inner face of the door 7,when he will swing the supporting-rod 16 into engagement with theaforesaid lug 17 thereby indicating by means of the arrow 18 that mailhas been deposited in the box 4. A

When the postman arrives, he should cause the vehicle (not shown) inwhich he carries his mail to come in such close proximity to the post 1as to cause one wheel of his vehicle to engage the free end of thespring trip-plate 20. This plate 20 is connected in any suitable mannerat one end of a leg 21, and when pressure is brought to bear upon thefree end of the trip-plate 20 a pull will be exerted upon the cord orrope 22,which latter is engaged with the said plate 20 near its freeend, thereby pulling the ring 23 at the upper end of the said cord 22from engagement with the inner end of the lever 13, causing the hook 12of the said lever to become disengaged from the lug 11 of the door 7,permitting the latter to swing by reason of its own gravity from overthe opening of the mail-box 4. It will be seen that the rope 22 passesthrough a perforation 24 in the arm 2, and. consequently, the ring 23being larger than the said perforation 24, will limit the downwardmovement of Therefore the signal-arrow 17 at the the rope whendisengaged from the lever 13. After the mail has been deposited in thebox 4 it is simply necessary for the carrier to close the door 7 whichwill be held in closed position by the engagement of the hooked end 12of the lever 13 with the lug 11 of the door 7. The signal-supporting rod16 may be then swung into engagement with the aforesaid lug 17 toindicate that mail has been deposited in the box.

The free end of the spring-plate 22 is limited in its upward anddownward movements by means of a U-shaped guide 25, secured to the post1 immediately above the ground.

In order that the owner of the box 4 may signal to the carrier that hehas deposited mail in the box for collection, I provide a separatesignaling device 26, which is pivotally connected to the aforesaidsignaling device or arrow 18.

What is claimed is 1. The combination of a post having an arm at itsupperend, the arm having a crosspiece at its free end; of a mail-boxsecured upon the cross-piece, a hinged door for the box provided at itstop and sides with means for overlapping the top and sides of the boxand also provided at its upper edge with an upwardly-directed lug, apost upon the top of the box, a lever pivotally mounted upon the postand provided at its outer end with a hook for engagement with said lugto lock the door with respect to the box, a signal de- I vice pivotallymounted upon the door, a spring trip-plate constructed and arranged forvertical movement in close proximity to the post, a flexible ropeconnected near one end of the said trip-plate and provided at itsopposite end with a ring for engagement with one end of the lever,whereby the hooked end of the latter may be removed from engagement withthe lug of the door by pressure upon the said trip-plate.

2. The combination with a post, a mailbox constructed and arranged. forsupport by the post, a door for the mail-box, means for holding the doorin locked position, a tripplate, and a connection between the tripplateand the locking means whereby the door may be opened by pressure uponthe tri plate.

n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORREN F. SMITH.

